GB1483024A - Apparatus for the continuous casting of metal - Google Patents

Abstract

1483024 Continuous casting VEREINIGTE METALLWERKE RANSHOFEN - BERNDORF AG 25 July 1975 [26 July 1974] 31256/75 Heading B3F Apparatus for continuous casting metal comprises a vertical mould assembly 14, feed means 11,13 above the mould for charging the mould assembly with smelt in free fall, and means for holding the mould assembly 14 selectively in a first position in which it is spaced vertically downwardly from the feed means, i.e. with an air gap therebetween, or in a second position in which it directly adjoins the feed means without an intervening air gap. A furnace 10 has a forehearth 11 with a pouring nozzle 13 controlled by a plug 12. The casting 16 passes to a rolling mill 17 through withdrawing rolls 15 and a speed controller 18. With the mould assembly 14 in the second position oxygen-free copper may be cast. A plurality of moulds in a vertically movable mould unit (Figs. 5 and 6, not shown) may be provided to be fed from an intermediate vessel (24) which is divided by a partition wall (25) into two chambers. One chamber (26) is connected to vacuum apparatus or scavenging gas, and the other one (28) has a plurality of feed control plugs (27). When the mould assembly is in its lower (first) position, e.g. for casting oxygen-bearing copper, a vacuum degassing or scavenging gas apparatus may be interposed between the forehearth 11 and the mould 14. The mould assembly is constructed (Fig. 3, not shown) with a funnel shaped graphite or sintered material insert (3) in which molten metal accumulates. A graphite dust or carbon black covering (19) may be provided on the surface of the metal in the funnel portion of the insert, or alternatively a graphite plate (20) (Fig. 4, not shown) may rest on top of the insert (3). The mould is fed through an inlet connected member (5) having an outlet of smaller cross-section than the mould cross-section. The insert (3) is surrounded by a chamber (21) which may provide heat-insulation, or may receive cooling or heating means. In a lower portion of the mould, a surrounding jacket (2) forms two spaced annular chambers (22), (23), the higher of the two providing primary cooling e.g. with hot water at 80‹ C., the lower one, providing secondary cooling with cold water. The chambers (22), (23) can serve as heat insulation or can receive heating means. Openings may be provided at the lower end of the chamber (23) so that cooling water, or alternatively a protective gas atmosphere, will surround the casting as it emerges from the mould.